WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest Crop Progress report said the corn harvest in the 18 major states was 65% completed as of Nov. 2 compared with 73% as the five-year average. In top-producing Iowa the corn crop was 61% harvested compared with 75% as the average, and in No. 2 Illinois the crop was 77% harvested, just slightly behind 78% as the average.

The soybean harvest in the 18 major states was 83% completed as of Nov. 2, equal to the average for the first time this season. The crop in top-producing Illinois was 83% harvested compared with 84% as the average, with No. 2 Iowa at 91% compared with 90% as the average.

Winter wheat crop conditions were   rated 59% good to excellent in the 18 major states as of Nov. 2, unchanged from the initial rating a week ago but below 63% in the same week a year ago. Kansas hard red winter wheat was rated 64% good to excellent in the latest week compared with 65% a week ago. Illinois soft red winter wheat was rated 64% good to excellent in the latest week compared with 68% a week ago.

Winter wheat emergence in the 18 major states was 77% as of Nov. 2 compared with 72% as the five-year average. The crop in Kansas was 82% emerged compared with 80% as the average. The crop in Illinois was 36% emerged compared with 62% as the average.

Emergence was ahead of the average in all seven of the key hard winter wheat states but was behind average in most soft wheat states. Wet weather in several of the key soft wheat Central states delayed planting and delayed fall row crop harvest, which in turn delayed seeding of some double cropped acres.